


Served by Silence

by jesterlady



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Character Study, Episode Related, Gen, Male Bonding, Male Character of Color, Minor Canonical Character(s), One Shot, POV Male Character, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-07
Updated: 2011-11-07
Packaged: 2017-10-25 19:21:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/273857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jesterlady/pseuds/jesterlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in S2 between GITF and Age of Steel.  I think there was another reason why the Tardis went to the parallel world.  Mickey contemplates his life in the Tardis with the Doctor standing by.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Served by Silence

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own DW. The title is by Henri Nouwen

Rose had gone to bed. Mickey was glad of it. It was odd, but it used to be that he could never wait for a time when Rose was awake and with him, now the only times he felt complete were when she was asleep. The universe kept exposing him to more wonders than just that what the Doctor and the Tardis could show.

The Doctor was repairing the Tardis. Mickey sat and handed things when asked with a grunt and a pointing finger. Times like this gave him the opportunity to think about their lives, to ponder the observations he got to make from his shadowed position. Even if the Doctor didn’t talk as much when Rose was gone, Mickey still liked it because the Doctor would notice him. It was all he asked for really, to be noticed.

He’d asked to come in the Tardis because he’d finally realized his worth and grown into it. He wasn’t complete yet, he knew that. But he knew he wasn’t the tin dog and he wanted a chance to prove himself, to grow beyond the little boy that clung to Rose whenever anything strange happened. The last time the Doctor had asked him to come, but he wasn’t ready yet.

Then he was ready, but everything had changed. The Doctor was changed, the old Rose was gone. The two of them seemed closer than when he used to be jealous of them. This time, he didn’t mind as much, so long as they didn’t forget he was there. Even if they did, well, he knew it would happen, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t bring it to their attention.

“I figured it out, you know,” he said, offhand, not really expecting the Doctor to answer.

“What’s that?” came a muffled voice.

“Why those Droids wanted her.”

“Reinette?”

The Doctor’s voice grew tighter as it always did when Reinette was mentioned, which wasn’t often. Rose and Mickey were quick learners, if for different reasons.

“Yeah. It was the ship’s name. I messed around on my laptop after; using that upgrade you gave me. Something you didn’t figure out while you were off on the slow path. When you left us there for five hours.”

“Mickey, don’t be that way. I told you; always wait at least five hours.”

“I’ve got no problem waiting, but you should’ve seen Rose’s face.”

“Why?” The Doctor’s head popped up from the grating. “I told her goodbye, I told her what to do.”

“Oh, I know. Get in the Tardis, emergency protocol one would take us home. Got all that. But she’s not as sensible as I am. And no smart remarks.”

The Doctor’s face grew quiet, as it rarely did, even in anger.

“Wouldn’t dream of it. I’m sorry about that. But it couldn’t be helped.”

“I believe you. You’re the Doctor, after all.”

“And never forget it.” The Doctor chucked Mickey under the chin with his screwdriver. “I have to think about more than just my Companions. And that’s all I have to give.”

“Then be real clear about that. You don’t have to as much with me. I got that from the get go and sometimes I don’t even know why I get as much as I do, even if I deserve more, but she’s…attached. She’d only just figured out you did love other people, yeah, I said it, love. With Sarah Jane. Then you dump her for Madame du Pompadour and it’s probably good for her, but you don’t have to be all alien about it.”

Mickey had never thought he’d see that look on the Doctor’s face. It was a keeper. But it was an expression that spoke of a great struggle within and for a moment, Mickey wasn’t sure he wouldn’t get thrown out of the Tardis right there.

“I’ll think about it. Certainly never hurts to think more. Ooh, except in the case of the Great Frontal Lobe of the Kroxian Empire. Messy ending, very much so, wouldn’t take my advice.”

The Doctor slipped back to his work, avoiding and changing the subject, rambling on and finishing the story.

Mickey half listened. He loved hearing about the Doctor’s adventures so long as they were coming from the Doctor and not Rose. It was his life now too and he knew he couldn’t change it. He’d seen the universe and it was like Rose said, he couldn’t come back. The Doctor had shown him a better life. But he was now realizing that it couldn’t stay like this. He couldn’t sit backseat and watch them anymore. Watch them forget him. He wasn’t sure how that was supposed to happen. He couldn’t go home now. He couldn’t go just live his life like he had. But he didn’t think he could stay with them.

He sighed and looked up at the great coral struts supporting the Tardis. It felt like his desire for something to do with his life was greater than the bigger on the inside ship. It was bursting out from him.

Then he shivered because, as impossible as it seemed, he felt like someone heard him. He felt like someone understood his mind. He looked at the ship, the Tardis. He felt like someone was telling him they would find a way.


End file.
